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R v Rosielyn Seyfried (625KY)
Rex v. Rosielyn Seyfried is a notable case involving the misuse and outright unlawful financial crimes by Rosielyn Seyfried. The case was taken straight to the Stormwind High Court, and unlike most cases, it was handed to a tribunal of five magistrates. The judges themselves were considered by many to be bias against noble persons, but their choice on punishment (which was at first considered beheading) as stripping of lands and titles said otherwise. The case was made particularly notable for the amount of money that was rumored stolen: Ten million gold sovereigns over the course of two years. Though audits have come up to show figures in the three to four million range. Pre-Trial History Rosielyn was appointed as Undersecretary of Domestic Expenditures in the His Majesty's Exchequer during the spring of 623KY. In this position, Rosielyn was responsible for contracting work regarding the kingdom's various domestic forts, towers, roads, and other works, as well as paying the people who did this work. Suspicions quickly arose as money went into Lontshire-based and Lontshire-affiliated contractors, though the evidence was few and far between. Later on during her tenure, her distant cousin from the House of Arunford would be given the leadership of the Independent Office of Internal Audits in the Excheguer. While reports regarding other offices went up, reports of Rosielyn's department were few and far between, and left comparingly vague. Her cousin would later be removed in the fall of 624KY for incompetence and complaints. The new head of the audit office would begin to fixate on Rosielyn's department, though the loose ends found were not enough to warrant any deeper investigation. Rosielyn would've also gotten involved with the Dalaran-based Raventhorne Securities. The stock and bond company would've gotten involved with the Seyfried majority-owned company of the Lontshire Regional Bank, as well as certain bond offices in the Exchequer with Rosielyn's coordination. The trail was rather complicated, but simply, bonds would be given to Raventhorne Securities, sold to Lontshire Regional Bank at a large discount, sold to the individuals involved in the scheme at a larger discount, and then the persons themselves would collect the money from the bonds at a premium with no direct cost to the stakeholders themselves. Given the scope of the operate above numerous bribes had to be given to top-level officials in the Exchequer. The plates used for making the bonds were copied and used by Rosielyn and her associates to make bonds at will and without direct notice from lower level officials and inspectors. Because of the amount of income being generated by Rosielyn, the Raventhorne Securities would once again come into play by masking the income via investments into out-of-kingdom companies and bonds, primarily based in Dalaran and Ironforge. Investigation Unofficial investigation was undertaken by the SI:7 during the winter of 625KY, quietly petitioned for by the Chancellor of the King's Coin, the head bureaucrat from the Exchequer. Little came out of this particular investigation. Official investigation occurred on 17 March of the same year, when Lora Raventhorne, head of Raventhorne Securities, pleaded guilty in a Stormwind Court for numerous charges of fraud, tax evasion, and bribery. Though her original sentencing was ten years in the Stormwind Stockades, her cooperation and whistle blowing of various accomplices, including Rosielyn Seyfried, lessened her sentence to her Stormwind-based property and assets being seized by the kingdom. Rosielyn Seyfried, as a result of the public investigation, was removed the Exchequer and barred from attending Stormwind House of Nobles sessions. Over the course of her investigation, she was confined to an estate managed by the House of Arunford by an order of the courts to prevent her from trashing evidence. All of Rosielyn's personal assets were looked over during the months long investigation. Trial The first trial occurred on 27 April. Rosielyn proceeded to plead guilty to all charges but treasons, with her reasoning being the following: "I may have stolen from my King, and I may have betrayed the trust of Him and all of my peers, but my loyalty has never shifted and will always stay within Stormwind." With Treason being the only capital offense, it was considered to be the only reason that a Death By Beheading would be considered. This became the only point of true struggle in Rosielyn's case, with the King's Prosecutors wanting to hold her for Treason and see her head roll. Over the course of the trials, appeals to the Magistrates for clemency were made from various noble houses, including the House of Leifeld, the House of McPherson, and the House of Arunford. Hearings and arguments would be heard until the tenth of May, where Rosielyn was acquitted of Treason in exchange for the names of her co-conspirators during the scheme. The magistrates passed the charges and acquittal on the twelveth of May with their opinion. All of the tribunal members were unanimous in their opinion. They also had Rosielyn's list of punishments sent to most noble houses in Stormwind as a reminder of their service to the King. No appeal from the prosecutors was filed. Punishment From the official document: THE TWELVETH OF MAY, SIX HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE KING'S YEAR THE STORMWIND HIGH COURT FINDS ROSIELYN SEYFRIED GUILTY ON FINANCIAL DAMAGES AGAINST HIS MAJESTY'S KINGDOM. '' ''HER PUNISHMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS, AND ARE TO TAKE PLACE ON THE FIFTEENTH OF MAY. #''Rosielyn Seyfried shall be stripped of all noble and knightly titles afforded to her by the Kingdom of Stormwind, and will be detailed below:'' #*''The County of Crystal Lake, title and lands, stripped. '' #*''The Barony of Lontshire, title and lands, stripped. '' #*''The Lordship of Castle Florence, a subsidiary of the Barony of Lontshire, title and lands, stripped.'' #*''Knighthood with the Brotherhood of the Horse, stripped. '' #*''Status of Knight-Lieutenant, stripped. '' #''Rosielyn Seyfried's lands and titles will be held by The King himself under the principle of Crown Rule, and not afforded to her heirs.'' #''All of Rosielyn Seyfried's personal wealth shall be collected for damages against His Kingdom, as well as for punitive reasons. She may keep one hundred gold sovereigns for personal use.'' #''Rosielyn Seyfried may not hold any office of management, detailed below:'' #*''Offices of government, from the highest in His Majesty's Court to the lowest tax collector in Elwynn.'' #*''Offices of corporations.'' #*''Offices of a ecclesiastical nature that involve managing the faithful and otherwise.'' #''Rosielyn Seyfried may not hold a position within The King's military, and will not rally her former Armsmen into her personal service.'' #''Rosielyn Seyfried may not use her house's colours in a public fashion, and is forbidden from using her coat of arms, familial or personal. '' Category:Judicial Decisions Category:Stormwind Judicial Decisions